We live in a self-centered, self-serving world. God, however, wants His people to be a blessing to others. That doesn’t just include those we like, those who agree with us, or those who have been good to us, but also those who seem hard to love, with whom we disagree, or who have wronged us. Jesus commands us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk. 6:27-28). He goes on to say, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. …” (Lk. 6:32-34)
Why We Should Bless Others
We have something to offer others because God has first “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). We are “enriched in every way so that we can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11). We are comforted by God so we in turn “can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
We are blessed so we can be a blessing to others. This has been God’s way for His people to respond as seen even back to Abraham. God said, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing … all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen 12:2-3)
What it Means to be a Blessing to Others
To bless others, then, is to extend God’s grace to them as we too have been recipients of grace (Eph. 4:29, 1 Pet. 4:10). To bless others is to show them the love of God that we ourselves have experienced (Jn. 13:34; 1 Jn. 3:14-18).
We’re exhorted, “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 Jn. 3:18). Here are some ways we can be a blessing to others by extending His love and grace to them:
- speaking uplifting and encouraging words that “benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29)
- living authentically and honestly (Eph. 4:14-15; Col. 3:9; 1 Jn. 3:18)
- being kind and compassionate (Eph. 4:32)
- being hospitable, making people feel warmth and welcome (Rom. 12:13)
- sharing of our resources to meet needs (financial and otherwise) (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:16)
- answering kindly to those who speak wrongly to or about us (1 Cor. 4:12-13; 1 Pet. 3:9)
- doing good to those who have done wrong to us (Lk. 6:27-28; 1 Pet. 3:9)
- forgiving those who have wronged us (Eph. 4:32)
- praying with gratitude for people and letting them know you’re praying for them (2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 1:16; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2)
What Happens When We’ve Blessed Others
When we’re a blessing to others, God is pleased (Heb. 13:16) and glorified (Matt. 5:16), often resulting in thanksgiving to God (2 Cor. 9:12-13).
As we bless others, it just might spur them on to bless someone else to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). As we follow the example of Christ, they can follow our example (1 Cor. 11:1).
And, though we aren’t to bless others for our personal benefit, remembering Jesus’ words that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts. 20:35), God does reward us for the good we have shown (Prov. 11:25; 19:17; Lk. 6:38; Heb. 6:10; 2 Cor. 9:6). The reward may not always come immediately or be a tangible reward but He “will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6:10).
Since all this can happen as a result of us being a blessing to others, we need to ask what it will take for us to become more and more of that kind of blessing — the topic of the next post.